摘要 : Building on the Hodgson–Mokyr debate in this journal (Volume 18, Issue 1, 2022), this article discusseshow modern economic growth occurred in pre-Industrial Revolution Britain, with a particular focus oncoalition politics and the ... 展开 Building on the Hodgson–Mokyr debate in this journal (Volume 18, Issue 1, 2022), this article discusseshow modern economic growth occurred in pre-Industrial Revolution Britain, with a particular focus oncoalition politics and the marginalization of conservative political groups – vetoers to change. Such politicalmarginalization was unusual before the 19th century, when monarchs had substantial political powerand land-based conservative groups were their main political allies. This article finds the source of theEnglish exceptionalism in the unique system of non-imperial personal union that Britain then hadwith the Dutch Republic and Hanover. Under this system, foreigner monarchs chose their local ally inBritain based on the security needs of their home states. It created a significant disadvantage to theTories, the incumbent conservative groups, while providing a window of opportunity for the Whigs,the opposition group supported by new commercial interests, to form a coalition with the Crown.The long absence of the Tories from power resulted in the incorporation of their constituencies intothe Whig-led regime, making the traditional economic interests the regime’s ‘junior partners’, insteadof formidable political competitors to the new commercial interests, which was the case before andelsewhere at that time. 收起